1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for reproducing an image on a large surface, the image being downloaded into a computer program which automatically operates image producing equipment assembled adjacent to the large surface to reproduce the image thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Outdoor advertising is a large and growing industry. Even though many municipalities have tried to regulate the outdoor advertising industry, it is increasing today because more people are xe2x80x9con-the-goxe2x80x9d.
A billboard is a xe2x80x9cgenericxe2x80x9d term for a large, free-standing or building-supported structure upon which advertising is displayed. The advertising displayed on a billboard is usually printed on multiple poster panels or bulletins manufactured and installed by the outdoor advertising company. The process of printing, manufacturing, and installing these panels or bulletins is very time extensive. Also, the process of installing printed panels and bulletins on such structures is inherently unsafe to workers.
In some instances, it is desirable to reproduce an image, text or graphic on the billboard or large surface of a building. Heretofore, reproducing an exact or enlarged copy of the image, text or graphic has been very time consuming and dependent on the artistic talent of the artist.
What is needed is an alternative system of reproducing an exact or enlarged copy of an image, text or graphic on any large surface, such as a wall of a building or billboard. Such a system should enable the image to be more quickly and more economically reproduced than current methods. Also, such a system should be adaptable so that any image, text or graphic may be reproduced in any size, oriented in any direction, on smooth or textured surfaces, or selectively modified to accommodate windows, doors and other structures on the surface.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for reproducing any desired image, text or graphic on a large surface, such as the wall of a building or billboard.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system that can reproduce an exact image, text or graphic in any direction, size, or textured surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a system that is more economical and safer to use than current methods used in the outdoor sign industry.
These and other objects are met by a system for reproducing any desired image, text or graphic on a large surface, such as the wall of a building or billboard. The system includes a computer, translator program, a controller card and image reproduction machinery. The computer, which is designed to generate or receive an image file, is programmed with the translator program which converts the image file into instructional machine codes. The controller which is connected to the computer receives the instructional machine codes to control a plurality of drivers located on the image reproduction machinery. The drivers, in turn, control various motors located on various components found on the image reproduction machinery.
The image reproduction machinery comprises a guide rail, a carriage, means to move the carriage longitudinally over the guide rail, a medium head assembly and means to deliver a medium used to create the image, text or graphic from the medium head assembly to the desired surface. During assembly, the guide rail is longitudinally aligned immediately adjacent to the surface to be painted. A positioning means is used to selectively move the guide rail in one of two directions perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. The guide rail can be straight or curved to accompany flat or curved surfaces, respectively. During assembly, the carriage is placed on the guide rail and the means to move the carriage longitudinally over the guide rail is disposed between the guide rail and the carriage. The medium head assembly is attached to the carriage and contains means to deliver the medium to the surface. In the preferred embodiment, the means to deliver the medium comprises a plurality of independently controlled airbrushes which spray this medium onto the surface. The valves of each airbrush are independently controlled by a motor which, in turn, is connected to a driver that amplifies signals from the controller card.
The movement of the guide rail and carriage, and the operation of the valves on the airbrushes are finely coordinated by the translator program so that an image downloaded into the computer is gradually created on the surface one pixel at a time, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide rail. The distance of the medium head assembly from the surface and the initial orientation of the individual airbrushes may be adjusted so that the size of the individual pixels in the image can be varied to adjust the resolution of the image.
An important feature of the invention is that any image or picture can be downloaded into the computer and then exactly reproduced on a multitude of different surfaces. The orientation of the image may be altered and specific areas in an image can also be deleted or modified to accommodate windows, doorways or other structures on the surface.